Lock for electric switches



' Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,006

H. A. DOUGLAS 1 l Loox Fon ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed June 18. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l @f Wg A -l W /ll l Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,006 H. A. DOUGLAS 'LOCK FCR ELECTRIC SWITCHES l Filed June 18, 4192C 2 sheets-snm 2 Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

HARRY A...DOUGLAS, 0F BRQLTSON, MICHIGAN.

LOCK FOR ELECTRIC SVITGHES.

Application filed June 18, 1926. Serial No. 116,932.

My invention relates to devices, such as electric switches which employ member operating locks and member operating handles and resides in the provision of improved means for assembling the locks and handles with the casings for such devices.

In accordancewith. my invention, the handle is mounted to turn upon the casing and has a hub'por'tion received in an opening formed in the front end wall of the casing and a formation, such as a flange,upon the rear of and coacting with the front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement of the handle. The lool; has a member, such as a sleeve, at the opening in the 'front casing end wall and received in the handle hub, this loclr member also having a formation, such as a wing or wings, also located upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end walll to obstruct outward movement of said lock member. Spring means are employed for pressing said loclr member and handle forwardly to maintain these elements in assembly with the casing. 7l/There switching mechanism is provided in the casing, one circuit adjusting member thereof is coupled with the handle to be operated thereby and one circuit adjusting member is coupled with a hey operated loclr member that is complemental to the aforesaid locl; member. The switching mechanism includes Contact effecting spring means that is desirably coupled for pressing the handle and the first aforesaid loch member forwardly for the purpose stated.

l will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings showing an embodiment in conjunction with switching mechanism and in which Fig. 1 is a rear view of the switching mecha nism taken on line 1-71 of Fig. 2; Fig.2is a sectional view on line .22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view online 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a front view of the switch, on a smaller scale; Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the assembly .of a hollow loclr member with the front casing end wall, this view being taken from the rear with parts removed; Fig. 6 illustrates the assembly of the closure upon the rear of the casing with the casing; Fig.` 'Tis a perspective view of the tumbler barrel; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the hollow lock member which receives the tumbler barrel and which is assembled with the front casing end wall; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the handle; Fig. 10 is aperspective view, with parts broken away, of the body of the casing and a portion of the mounting plate with which the casing is assembled; Fig. 11 isa sectional view on line 11-11 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 12 is a view showing the switch casing in section and parts within the casing in elevation.

The casing has a body portion 1 and a front end wall 2 preferably integrally formed with the body portion. A closure 3, of insulating material, is assembled with the rear of the casing body by means of tongues 4 upon the casing body that are bent into notches 5 upon the closure 3. This closure carries contacts 6 that may, for example, pertain to lighting circuits of automobiles, and contacts 'Z that pertain to the ignition circuit. A ring 8 carries contacts 9 that are engageable with the contacts 6. A plate 10 carries contacts 11 `that are engageable with the contacts 7. The contacts 9 and 11 are formed upon the rear ends of spring barrels 12 and 13, these spring barrels housing springs 14 that projectthe plungers 15 and 16 forward ly into sockets 17 and 18 which are `respectively formed in insulating rings 19 and 20. The springs 14 also press the contacts 9 and 11 rearwardly and the insulating rings` 19 and 20 forwardly, the forward movement of these insulating rings being limited by their engagement with the front end wall 2 of the casing. This front casing end wall. -is formed with an opening which receives the hub 21 of a handle 22. This handle has a flange 23 upon the rear of the front casing end` wall 2 and pressed against this end wall by the springs 14 whereby the handle is maintained in assembly with the casino'. The handle hub is circular as is the opening in the casing end wall through which it is passed permitting the handle to be turned. The handle may be employed to control the lighting circuits of an automobile. `Where the switching mechanism is also employed to control-an ignition circuit, the hub of the handle is hollow and may receive the hollow loclr member 24 which is here shown as being received in the hollow hub of the handle. This loclr member is provided with wings 24 which are received between the lugs 25 which arestruclr inwardly from the front casing end wall. The springs 14 also press upon said wings to hold them against the vfront end wall of the casing and fully within the handle hub. The springs 14 eii'ect forward llt) pressure upon the hundle and the n'ii l through the intermediation ol" the insulating ringe1 ufhieh receive the piangere l5 and lo.

The ringl i9 is connected with the handle by means ol the prongs 2li upon the inner end of the handle hub, these prongs, entering suitable reeeeeee 2l" upon the inner eide ol' the handle hub. llllien the handle is turned, the ring lil turned to adjust the lighting circuits that are controlled by the eontaete (l and il.

'lbe ignition eireuit le governed by a hey operated tumbler barrel which in in turning relation to the ringe;l 2li. Thin tumbler barrel eontaine' tuinblere Ztl Whieh are enw gagealile within the slots lll in the hollow loelr member 23 'when the hey 3l is withdrawn :litter thi;y hey has turned the tumbler barrel to bring theeze temblores into regieter With said elotn. liilhen the hey is inserted, the tumblers are withdrawn troni eaid slots vrlierealier the hej)- is permitted to turn the tumbler barrel. lllllien the tmnblere are pro- 'jeeted into the slot@ 30 the ignition eireuit is loelied open. lllhen the tumblere are Withdrawn from the slots when the tumbler burrel is thereuifter turned, the ignition eireuitin elosed.

In assembling the parte, the handle is in- .serted lfroin the rear ol' the easing into the position illustrated u'liereal'ter the hollow loeli member i=1 positioned aeehou'ii, the ol1 the parte lolloirinzil in obsf'ioue order.

@bungee magy be made Without departingi from the invention.

Having thuny deeeribed my invention, I elain'i:

l. The combination with a easing baring a lront end wall formed with an opening` therethrough, ot a loch haring;l a member at saidopeningand haring a lorination upon the rear ol and eoaeting vwith said front easing end woll to obstruct outward movement el Suid loel; member; epring means proving lorirardl)v upon said loel: member to maintain it in aesembljr with the easing; a hey operated .loelr member eoaeting- With the :i'lforesaid loeli: member; and mechanism within the easingv and having a member Coupled with Said hey operated member to be operated thereby.

t?. The, eonibination with a easing haringl a :lront end wall y'lorimrd with an openingtherethrough, or a loel having a hollenT member in line with Said opening and having); a 'Formation upon the rear ot and eoaeting1 with said ilfrfmt caninel end wall to obstruct outward movement of Said lock member; spring1 means pressing forwardly upon eaid loel member to maintain it in sembly with the easing; a rotatable key operated tumbler barrel Within the al'orosaid lool; memliier; :i he;7 operated tumbler Within :iid tumbler barrel and eoaetingr n'ith said hollow lool; member to hold said tumbler barrel trom turning; and meehanhm within the easing' and hermit; a member coupled with said tumbler barrel to be operated thereby.

$5. 'lhe eombination with a easing having a iront end Wall lfornied with un opening,r therethrough; olI a loeli liavinl a member at eaid opening,1 and having a loi-mation upon the rear of and courtingl with said 'iront oasinol end u'all to obstruct outward morement ot said loch member; :l ller operated lot'li member coltellino1 with. the aloreeaitl loeltv member; and meehanism within the easing und haring a member coupled with said lte operated member to be operated thereby, said meehanisin ineluding spring meain ibut pressen 'li'orrmrdliw upon the lil'et aforesaid loehr member to maintain it in :efluemlily with the easing.

l. the eombination with u eat-ing having u trout` end wall termed with an opening;l therethrough; ol a loeli haring a hollow member in line with :fluid opening;l und hat lire; :i 'tol-mation upon the rear olf und eoaelini;l with said iront easing end wall to olidirla-t ouliirard moreiuont olE said loe-l; member; a rotatable he); operated tumbler burrel Vwithin the alforenaid lool; member, a, ltej operuled tumbler within Said tumbler barrel and rout-ting with said hollow loeli nienil ;er to hold said tumbler barrel Llirom j und meehaniem `within the (,-ainig and bowing a member eoupleil with .said tumbler barrel to be operated therebji' .Quid meehanisnn inelurfling spring meanu that prrr`v 'i :lorrfarcflllr upon uuid hollow look member to maintain it in awsemlilrl with the easing.

:'i. lhe eomliination with a outline; haviiuil a trout end u'all termed with an opening;n therethrough; ol a handle moi'lut'ed to turn upon the canino and baring; :i liub portion reeoii'ed in seid openingA and a 'hirmaliion upon the rear ot' and eourtiue; with ASaid :trent canine' end wall to ol i:-;truet outward movement. ot the handle; springt* menne` preesine' forwardly upon smid handle to maintain it in :muemblr with the `anfing; und meehani'm within the raising;r und hav ingr a member Coupled with said handle to be operated thereby.

(l. The Combination with a earning having al liront end Wall formed with un opening therethrough; ol' a handle mounted to turn upon the easing and lawine; a hub portion rereired in .raid opening and a formation upon the rem.' oil. and coaching with Paid front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement oi? the handle; and meobanisn'l Within the easing and liariner a member eou pled `with Said handle to be operated thereby, said inecbaniem including spring means that pressen lnwardlyr upon said handle tio maintain it in assembly with the easing.

7. The combination with a easing boring lll) a iront end wall formed with an opening therethrough; of a handle mounted to turnY upon the casing and having a hub portion received in said opening and a formation upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement ofthe handle; a lock member at said opening7 this lock member having a formation upon the rear of and coaeting with said front casing end Wall to obstruct outward movement of said lock member; spring means pressing forwardly upon the aforesaid lock member and upon said handle to maintain these elements in assembly with the casing; a key operated lock member coasting with the aforesaid lock member; and mechanism within the casing having one member coupled with said handle and another member coupled with said key operatedlock member.

8. The combination with a casing having a front end wall formed with an opening therethrough; of a handle mounted to turn upon the casing and having a hub portion received in said opening and a formation upon the rear 'of and coacting with said front casing end `wall to obstruct outward movement of the handle; a hollow lock member in line with said opening, this lock member having a formation upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement of said lock member; spring means pressing forwardly upon the aforesaid lock member and upon said handle to maintain these elements in assembly with the casing; a rotatable lrey operated tumbler barrel within the aforesaid lock member; a key operated tumbler with said tumbler barrel and coact-ing with said hollow `lock member to hold said tumbler barrel from turning; and mechanism within the casing and having a member coupled with said handle and another memher coupled with said tumbler barrel.

9. rlhe combination with a casing having a front end wall formed with an opening therethrough; of a handle mounted to turn upon the casing and having a hubportion received in said opening and a formation upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement of the handle; a lock member at said opening, this lock member having a formation 4upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement of said lock member;sa key operated lock member coacting with the aforesaid lock member; and mechanism within the casing havingone member couplied with said handle and another member coupled with said key operated lock member, said mechanism including spring means that presses forwardly upon the iirst aforesaid lock member and handle to maintain `these elements in assembly with the casing.

l0. The combination with a casing having a front end wall formed with an opening Y therethrough; of a handle mounted to turn upon the casing and having a hub portion received in said opening and a formation upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement of the handle; a hollow lock member in line with said opening, this lock member having a formation upon the rear of and coacting with said front casing end wall to obstruct outward movement of said lock member; a rotatable key operated tumbler barrel within the aforesaid lock member; a key operated tumbler within said tumbler barrel and coacting with said hollow lock member to hold said tumbler barrel from turning; and mechanism within the casing and having a member coupled with said handle and another member coupled with said tumbler barrel, said mechanism including spring means that presses forwardly upon said hollow lock member and handle to maintain these elements in assembly with the casing.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

